The FatCat Rolls Around Again!

March brings us completion on two of Fatcat Patterns.  I'm sorry to see them come to an end.

We are still working on the owl series and this 'horned' owl is staring at me with his google eyes

I'm 'diggin' these little creatures!  So much fun to see them come to life!

The Afghan Hound was quick and easy to make and now we are finished with the dogs and will assemble

And the fishes of the sea are complete too!  Oh, my what will be do with our time now??

Are You As Warped As I AM!

I AM a weaver! I began my fiber path as a weaver, then moved onto spinning, dyeing and embraced many other fiber techniques. No matter how often I might venture away with another interesting technique, I always return to weaving.   Even after 30+ years weaving, there is no way I can learn all weaving  has to offer!  There are different patterns, unusual structures, colorful yarns, etc. 

There are peaceful times spent at the loom and moments of insanity too!  No One tells you that you need a list of credentials to be a weaver--

You need a background in sight reading

You need to have a level head when threads go awry

No one tells you what to do with broken warp threads

Or how to deal with uneven warp tie-ups--these are things you learn as you discuss with fellow weavers tricks and trades of the loom 

And when I speak to young students--I tell them you need MATH in a big way as a weaver!  Most days things go well at the loom but then there are those days--I feel more warped than the loom!!!

The Quilt Show BOM

I have been a charter member of The Quilt Show although I really don't take full advantage of all the benefits that the website offers. There is the daily blog to read; lessons to learn; projects; quilt gallery; a shop and many other features. One summer I attended a taping of the show--which was  interesting. I almost didn't renew my membership for 2014--then I saw the 2014 BOM (Block of the Month) designed by Janet Stone.

This really caught my eye!  How much fun this would be to recreate in my colors--okay, I renewed for another year.  Each month I go to the BOM feature on the website to save/print the instructions. 

Guess I never really thought about block size, but these are smaller than I expected, but Janet's instructions give you plenty of leeway for trimming.  And interesting instructions there are--I'm learning new techniques as I sew. 

Here goes the A--all the applique has been reversed so there is no corrections needed there.

Flying geese a different way! I should be an expert by now.

F--where is the B??  I'm confused..............Janet makes these blocks right though.

Onto G.........

And then we put these blocks together!  Okay--now, I see method to the madness!

And here is February blocks are neatly together!  We are keeping up so far......

March's pattern brings us to I

and H!  These were two quick blocks to complete.

 

The Quilt Show

What's On and Off the Needles.......................

It has been a slow winter for knitting-- just couldn't get my "mojo' going to do any knitting.

This was a mystery FLG (finger less glove) pattern that popped up on my radar in January--I found some handspun wool/silk blend and cast on

And then they just were put aside

Finally!  picked them up and finished them off--nice warm mittens

I like the design

I began this 'swing' cowl just because--to see what all the fuss was about this technique

Not handspun, but stash yarn--this is an different technique of doing short rows, but I lost interest after I knew how it worked.  Has that ever happen to you?

I requested this book for Christmas gift and it got buried under all my other paperwork until just recently, so we began with lesson One

which was to string 150 beads onto your ribbon (thank goodness for stash yarns!) It took awhile to string all those beads and I learned a short cut way of doing it after several other unsuccessful means........................take it from me--dental floss is the way to go when stringing beads! 

Ever Wondered--History of Fiber??

Have you ever stopped to think about the timeline of fiber? I never did--until this website/book popped up on my radar. Fiber Timeline

Thank you Marie-Therese Wisniowski for this fascinating information! 

MARDI GRAS

 
If you have ever lived in a Southern state, you have attended at least one Mardi Gras parade.  Or maybe, you visited during Mardi Gras season.   As we lived in Louisiana for many years, we attended the BIG one in New Orleans numerous times--it was hectic but fun! 

What is Mardi Gras or "Fat Tuesday"?  events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after the Epiphany or Kings day and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday. The day is sometimes referred to as Shrove Tuesday, from the word shrive, meaning "confess"


Mardi Gras Carnival season is party time!  Enjoying oneself until the struck of midnight of Tuesday when the streets are washed and all party goers need to go home or some attend midnight mass to atone for their sins. 
 And then lent begins and good fresh seafood is on the menu. 

May you have a good Mardi Gras where ever you live!  and look forward to 2015: February 17 when Mardi Gras rolls around again!
 

EZ Dye Cotton Sliver????

Well, I never thought that cotton sliver would be EZ (easy) to dye! Never, never, never! It has always been a chore to dye cotton--first you must soak and sometimes boil the cotton to get the fibers dampen and saturated enough to take the dyes. Then you have to find the correct dye to use. Mostly, fiber reactive dyes are used but you can use natural dyes too! So, when I spotted this product at our last January spin-in, there was no stopping me from buying --must give this a try!

Check out Cotton Clouds website on how they dyed the fiber 

I purchased my fiber from Ewephoric Fibers

Into the pot the fiber went along with ACID dyes--that's right!  I used acid dyes and no mordant necessary when you dye this fiber.  This fiber has been processed to eliminate the use of a mordant.  How do they do that?!!

Here is my cotton EZ dyed! and the best part--it is EZ to spin!!  As soon as it was dry I was at my spinning wheel to give it a try.

Wow!  what fun to spin!